When The Star Fell
by DietzZ
Summary: Tourney at Harrenhal, 281 AC. A fateful day that young Eddard Stark met the beautiful Ashara Dayne. Love blossoms like star reborn, except there was different plan for them. Though in love, their stars were crossed and their path never meant to travel together. It is said that love could conquer all, that the stars were the brightest things in the sky, but even they explode.


Chapter One:  
>Fast Romance<p>

Tourney Of Harrenhall

"I am so excited that it is finally spring." Elia leaned over and whispered to me.

I scrunched my nose in response. Glad as I was that the winter was ebbing away, but the coming of spring meant mud and puddles and everything smelling like horse shit.

She elbowed me at my response, and giggled.

We were in the royal booth, Targaryen banners enveloping us, watching the seven sided melee. Which was really just watching a group of men become bloody and covered in mud as Lord Robert Baratheon laughed madly like he was having the time of his life. He was the clear winner, but the young Ser Clegane, who looked like a monster of a child didn't seem to feel pain as he got beat into the ground every time he tried to stand up. It had started off like any other melee, but when Lord Robert started mowing them down, they all started to back away in fear. Except for Clegane, though Robert's size and sheer brute force had taken even him down.

"In Lannisport I hear they refer to him as the Young Mountain." Elia noted.

The horns sounded, and cheers erupted. Robert was announced the winner. The first thing he did, sword in hand, still dripping in mud was waltz right over to the Stark banners, where his betrothed was sitting. I was sitting too far away to hear what they were saying, but Lyanna reluctantly stood up and placed an awkward kiss on top of his crazy black haired head. Brandon Stark, looked furious beyond belief.

When I looked over at Eddard Stark my heart speed up. He was looking right at me, his dark hair, smoldering grey eyes and stern expression. Though there was amusement in his eyes, probably from his best friends ridiculous antics. We froze, staring at each other. I probably looked like an idiot, and all he did is stare at me blankly, until he abruptly broke contact as his whole party rose, following Robert Baratheon towards the castle.

I could feel my heart beating out of my chest, and even though my hands were clamming and I now felt light headed, I wished he could have stayed sitting there. Stayed looking at me. I wonder what he though while he was scrutinizing me?

"I bet you wish you could just rip the arms right off his body." Elia muttered

The voice snapped me out of my day dream.

Prince Rhaegar, who was sitting right next to Elia, in the seat of honor, was glaring right at the happy couple. His white hair looked like a glorious horse mane, everything about the man screamed royalty, screamed Targaryen. Especially his crazed, violet eyes, that looked like flames waiting to shoot at Robert Baratheon, the Storm Lord.

"Yes, how dare he flirt with his betrothed." Elia rolled her eyes, clapping lightly, but glaring right at him.

He flicked his hand at her, eyes still set on Robert who was now disappearing into the crowed. I sighed inwardly. Elia became rigid at the dismissal.

"Yes, sweat heart, I know it's a foreign notion for you to see a couple giving affection." She spit at him.

He finally turned his head to her, his violet eyes unnerving. Most people had a hard time with the purple hue of eyes, either finding them beautiful or strange. Elia didn't have a hard time with those, since she grew up with my own purple pair.

I clapped my hands, loud, hoping to get there attention. "Oh look! The mummers!" I yelled too loud, lots of people looking over at me.

But not Elia and Rhaegar.

"Really, sweet heart. Is that so." He snapped back.

The brooding Prince had finally cracked. It took a lot to break him out of his shell, but Elia had always been able to bring out a different side of him, ever since they met. I think thats why he chose her over Cersei Lannister.

People were starting to stare. I could probably take most of the blame for that, but I didn't know what else to do. Even Ser Arthur Dayne, my older brother, was looking over at Rhaeger, wondering if he should intervene or not. It was funny, that Arthur and I were both the most trusted to Prince and Princess. It was not funny that were were powerless in this lovers quarrel in front of everyone at Harrenhal. Between the two people that would one day rule the Seven Kingdoms.

"I hope they do the Seven Drunken Oresmen. Its a personal favorite." I again, almost shouted over them.

"Really." She hissed. "Maybe if you put as much effort into me as you did someone else's women, we could have an heir already and you could take a Paramour and I'd be done with you."

"Well if your chest was half as big as your mouth I wouldn't have a problem now would I?" He muttered.

Rhaegar was a incredibly smart, which would serve him well as a King, and even better in coming up with hurtful comebacks so quickly.

My mind was reeling. "Look a half man!" I grabbed Elia's arm. "Look. Look."

She looked ready to rip the Prince a part, but she finally turned to me, "What-" She was ready to yell at me until she saw what I was gesturing at.

Everyone around was staring at us. Even past her other handmaidens. Ynyn Yornwood, Myria Jordayne and Larra Wyl, all brought from Dorne, like I had been, all looking around nervously. And Cersei Lannister, the only reason she was a handmaiden was because her father was hand of the King. She was glaring at me like I had insulted her family. Which on later thought, I actually did with the half man comment.

Elia looked at me, almost apologetic and sheepish.

"I think I'll crown her Queen of Love and Beauty when I win the joust, so then she'll finally be my queen." Rhaegar spoke behind her.

Everyone in the high booth froze. Elia didn't even turn to look at him for a moment.

"You can't!" She shouted, almost panicked.

He just laughed, quietly. "Jealous?"

"No!" She said it before he could even finnish his word. "No I'm not jealous. Rhae, you can't do that. It's not a joke anymore. You're my friend, but I cannot let you even joke about this."

Friend. I prayed nobody else had heard her say that word.

Arthur grabbed his shoulder. "That would anger the North and the Stromlands. Would that really be wise when you will need all Seven Kingdoms support with your... plans."

He shrugged Arthur's hand off. I hope that Rhaegar would see reason. He was a smart man, talented in many different ways, but Lyanna Stark had a hold over him. Not even Elia would sway him away. Given they were pretty much only good friends. Friends who occasionally had sex, but other then that, just friends.

Elia stood up grabbing my arm. "Lets go."

"Oh no," Rhaegar laughed watching us walk away. "Your making Ashara miss the show she was so excited for."

Ynyn and Myria both stood immediately to follow, though Elia shook her head no. Larra was so enveloped in the mummers show to notice. Cersei just glared at us, her arms folded over her chest.

"I can't believe him." Elia spoke, shaking her head in distaste.

The couple usually got on well. It had been a long ride to Harrenhal, and all we did here was sit in the booth together. It could be a strain on anyone, especially a young royal couple with basic pressures of marriage. Throw in a Mad King, and pressure for an heir and Rhaegar's new found wondering eye, its actually a miracle they don't just kill each other.

Our arms intertwined as we walked, our heads bowed, whispering together. I wasn't sure where we were walking, but the familiar sound of metal armor clanging behind us reminded me that we were being followed. We were always being followed. Well, Elia was. But since I was seared to her side everywhere but the bed chamber, it was a sound I had also grown quite use to.

I didn't have to look behind to know that Ser Barristan Selmy and Prince Lewyn Martell, Elia's uncle were right behind us.

"He's just joking." Even as I said it, I knew that were was a huge possibility that I was wrong.

Elia looked at me, clearly annoying at my comment. "Just incase, he can't win the joust."

I sighed as we continued walking toward the castle. "Who can beat him?"

Rhaegar was amazing with a lance. It was nigh impossible to think of someone who could unseat the prince.

"Ser Barristan." She pointed out

I nodded. He had before, its true. Maybe we didn't have a lot to worry about.

"He's been acting crazy lately. So much louder and brash. What happened to that quiet, book reading little boy?" Elia mused.

I shrugged my shoulders.

We kept walking, into the castle. The noise hit us hard. There was music playing, coming from every direction, and nobody was playing together. Lords were shouting and drinking. There was serving wenches going in every direction with different kinds of food. Even though the sounds and people were over whelming, there was a happiness that surrounded everyone.

We were passing a large group, when I noticed that Lord Robert Baratheon was there, laughing loudly and and shouting about his victory. The Starks were there along with the Lord Jon Arryn and his posse, and I craned my head to see if I could spot the middle son. I have never spoken to Eddard, but he was easily the most beautiful man I had ever seen. They wrote songs about Rhaegar's beauty, but in my eyes, the silver hair was unnerving and reminded me of an albino, and there was something endearing about the Stark eyes. How you could never tell what they were thinking. Mysterious, smoldering grey that sent a chill reverberating down my spine.

I was hit hard, in the stomach. All the breath left my body as I was knocked to the floor, taking Elia along with me. I groaned as I looked up and saw a little boy, maybe ten years old, just staring at me with worried, grey black eyes.

A Stark.

I heard a sword being drawn. Quickly I grabbed the boy to my body as fast as I could. I wasn't sure what either Ser Barristan or Prince Lewyn would make of this boy, they White Cloaks had been on high alert lately, and I didn't want some innocent, albeit incautious little child feeling their wrath.

"You attack the Princess -" I heard Barristan start.

"Oh stand down, he ran into Ashara." Elia snapped sitting next to me.

I glanced over at her, worried. Elia had alway had terrible health, and her frail, small body could only take so much. Being thrown around like that was not good for her. She sat in a heap, looking dazed. Though I had taken much of the hit, she looked like she had just been through Robert's melee.

Lewyn helped lift her up, but she swayed as soon as she was standing.

Not good.

I turned to the child, who was still kneeling into me with wide, scared eyes. He had scooted even closer to me then I had already held him in fear when they had drawn a weapon on him. The child was practically wrapped around me.

"Um, who are you?" I asked in a soft voice, trying not to frighten him.

"Uhhhh, Benjen, m'lady. Benjen Stark." He stuttered, eyes shifting back and fourth, from the guards to me with weary, scared eyes.

"Hello." I greeted, suddenly realizing that we were on the ground still.

I looked over and saw the group of Stark, Baratheon and Arryn, all looking over at us in clear amusement, the oldest Stark boy looking at Benjen worried.

"I am -"

"I know." He mumbled quickly.

He dropped a letter in my lap, jumped up like a little bunny and sprinted right back to the group. Brandon Stark grabbed him and started laughing out loud hard, along with Robert. I was confused, until I saw the person standing next to him. Eddard Stark looked at me, with his usual unreadable expression. Which only made me more confused.`

I glanced back to the note.

"Ashara." Elia snapped my attention back to the present.

I was still sitting on the ground. She was looking uneasy, holding onto Lewyn, I could see her knuckles were white, probably grasping it would a vice like grip. Barristan knelt down and offered me his hand. I grabbed it thankful for the held, as he helped me up I shoved the letter in my pocket, and grabbed Elia's hand, transferring her from her uncle to me. She put almost all her weight on me.

"Let's go lie down." I suggested.

She shook her head no, with vigor. "No, no. I'm fine." She nodded towards the high table and I reluctantly helped her get over there.

Once there, she went right back to her plotting ways. That is right after she sent Barristan off for more wine. Elia was always drinking wine these days.

"What are we going to do about the joust?" She asked in a whisper.

I just shrugged my shoulders and leaned back in my chair. I didn't know. And right now I didn't care. There was a letter burning a hole in my pocket. I wanted to rip it open and read it right this second but I knew it wasn't the time. Not in front of Elia. Not with the writer in the room. I hoped it was Eddard. It had to be Eddard. That look he gave me. His little brother giving it to me. It had to be him. I needed it to be him.

"Sounds good?" Elia asked.

"Wait, what?"

She huffed. "Have you not been listening?"

"No not really." I admitted.

She glared.

"Sorry! I will now."

Elia looked at me with her big brown eyes with a small glare. "We need to poison Nightwing."

"The horse?" Why could she possibly want to kill Rhaegar's horse.

"So he can't win the joust." She sounded so exasperated.

Elia was practically chugging out of her goblet. I frowned but didn't say anything. She was quite the drinker, always had been really, even when we were young in Sunspear, but it seemed to really take off when we came to Kings Landing. Even more so recently with Rhaegar acting quite strange. She barely ate now, just drank wine, all the time secretly complaining about how bland this type of wine was. Which never stopped her though. All of this was terrible for her already ailing health.

"I'm not killing the horse." I sighed. "Especially because Barristan will probably win anyways."

I wish I could just reach up and take the goblet away without causing a scene.

She shook her head, excessively. "No, no, no, no." She took another swig. "Just enough so its off, and wont listen as well. Hard to control. And we cannot take any chances Ash."

I waited a moment.

"But if his horse is acting up, he'll just get a new one." I pointed out.

She leaned back in her chair, lips pursed in thought.

We sat in silence for a long time, while people around us intermingled and as it grew later into the night, it got louder and more riotous. The mummers moved inside and started half performing and half just shouting obscene, mildly entertaining things while drinking almost as much as Elia was. The whole time we've been in the hall, I've avoided looking over at Eddard Stark. He made my heart thump in my chest and I've never even spoken to the gorgeous, stony faced northerner.

I prayed to the Seven that it was him that wrote me the note. It had to be. He must've been related to that little boy. Benjen Stark. It wouldn't be his older brother, would it? He's not near as handsome, and seemed more reserved and boring. Maybe the weight of responsibility crushing him and heir of wherever they came from. I remember learning where the Starks were from. I knew they were from the North, and their motto was Winter is Coming, which I always thought was silly, growing up in the Water Gardens of Sunspear. Maybe it was Benjen Stark, the child who had wrote the note. Maybe it was a stable hand or servant they brought with. Maybe it was just a joke.

Lord Whent came in and started the feast. There was a feast every night. I don't know how Lord Whent paid for such a lavish tournament, but I was glad. I was from Dorne, I obviously loved a good time.

It was even better that Prince Rhaegar wasn't here. The whole reason for the tournament, was to meet with most of the High Lords and talk about Rhaegar's plan. Which meant that there was mostly just the siblings and entourage that everyone brought. Nobody with title that needed to act aristocratic. Maybe Elia, as the Princess. But it was hard to reign in a Dornish women.

It only took a few drinks for Elia until she was right in the middle of the floor with some men, knights and lower born lords, drinking and dancing like a Dothraki. I was trying to stay close and keep an eye on her, while trying to fend off one of the Tyrell bastards, obviously forgetting who I was. I had taken a few extra drinks during the meal, but I've never been able to get over there terrible wine. It had turned into a crazy night. A few times Elia had started shouting over to me, "I'm so glad we left Septa Farrah in Kings Landing!"

I just laughed and hoped that Rhaegar didn't find out about tonight. But there was so many people here that I doubted it could stay a secret.

Suddenly, I felt the absence of the Tyrell bastard and looked over, to have my heart fall out of my chest. It was Eddard Stark, standing there with his beautiful, unreadable face. He grabbed my hand and we started a more traditional dance.

"Is there a reason that you've been entertaining Garret Flowers this evening." He asked, quite boldly.

I could not believe this was happening. Was I dreaming? Did someone put something in my wine?

"What?" I breathed.

"Did you read my letter." He asked bluntly.

I shook my head no, still mesmerized at his presence. And unsure of what he was doing.

He frowned. He waited a few moments to speak again. "Do you scorn my affections?"

"Affection?" I asked again.

My head was swimming.

"I think I've drank a bit too much tonight and I feel I am making a fool of myself." He muttered, then pulled away from me.

No! He couldn't leave. This couldn't be happening. Affections? He was walking away. I didn't know what I was suppose to do. I didn't know how to handle this situation. Was this really happening to me?

I reached into my pocket to dig out the letter and ripped open the seal. It was just wax, there was no mark of a House. There was a small piece of parchment, that looked like it had been ripped off a larger one, but scrawled on it was terrible hand writing. In my haste and nervousness and mixed with the bleeding ink, I could only make out a few words, but among them were 'infatuation', 'courtship', 'beauty', 'interest'.

My feet started to fly after the direction that he went. I was pushing and shoving against the drunk people. I couldn't see him though. I began to panic.

"Eddard!" I screamed.

Tomorrow, when I'm sober, I'll most likely regret screaming his name out in front of everyone. Especially just his first name. But tonight, I did not care. I needed to get to him. To sort everything out in my head. To know his intentions.

Affections.

"Eddard!"

I had managed to weasel my way through the horde and reached a hallway, but I didn't see him. I tried not to let dread creep through me. I tried to turn on my heels as my mind was reeling. Where could he have even gone?

"Edd-"

"My Lady Dayne -"

I turned around, excited, butterflies in my stomach, heart thumping in my chest. But when I whirled around, it was only Ser Barristan. I felt bad when my shoulders visibly slumped in disappointment. I took a deep breath and tried to muster a smile.

"Lady Dayne," He spoke, offering me his hand.

"Lady Ashara, Ser Barristan, how many times must I tell you." I sighed as I let him lead me back to the festivities.

"At least once more my Lady Dayne. As always."

I tried not to sigh again. I nodded. "As always." I echoed.

When we walked back into the hall and I saw why I had been fetched. Rhaegar returned, and people were either dispersing like roaches from the light, or trying to sit in their seats as normal as possible.

Then I saw Elia. Being held in her uncles arms. She was limp, and looked like she had thrown up all over the front of her intricately beaded dress. I picked up the speed of my walk till I was almost running to her.

"She's fine, she's fine m'lady." Prince Lewyn assured me before I became hysterical. "Just a little too much southern dancing." He laughed dryly.

She had partied too hard.

I glanced back over at Rhaegar, who looked furious beyond belief flanked by Arthur and Jon Connington. Arthur gave me a pointed look to get lost and I didn't need a bigger warning.

"Come now, Prince Lewyn." I hurried him out of the hall as fast as possible, leaving Ser Barristan behind in the dust.

I was almost glad that Elia was compeletly incoherent. Because I had to spend all my energy trying to get her to bed and not think about Eddard Stark. Though I couldn't stop those grey eyes and stone cold face from seeping through my thoughts every now and then. I wish I knew what he was thinking, or what he was doing. Was he just joking with me, trying to make fun of me?

I couldn't say.

Nor could dwell on it.

Elia didn't like servants. We didn't really have them at the Water Gardens. Growing up, Elia and I lived amongst everyone else, high born, low born, bastards, orphans. Anyone could foster at the Water Gardens. Elia usually like to do things herself, with the help of myself or one of the other girls. But she was pretty out of it.

Lewyn laid her on the bed and offered to help, but I sent him out to guard the door.

I was used to dealing with drunk Elia.

As I awkwardly flipped her over and wrangled her out of her pretty dress, I finally got her awake enough to stand her up and tuck her into bed. I struggled to untie my own dress, I ended up only halfway untying in and wrenching it off my body, it momentarily getting stuck on my head. After shimming everything else off and just throwing it on the ground, I crawled into bed next to my sister in everything besides blood.

I wished sleep would take me like it had Elia. She was completely out, almost snoring. My mind reeled about Eddard Stark. I don't know if I liked him or wanted him to leave me alone. His gorgeous face. Cold stare. Cryptic word.

He made my head hurt.

I think I liked it.


End file.
